Laurel: It is wonderful that you have an opportunity to perform in a school band and to learn to read music. But the song which your band is playing is not folk music by most definitions. This is not to say that it is BAD music, but it's just not folk music. The folk process is not likely to be found in any formal instructional environment such as a classroom. Practically any musical training is great, and the more types of music you can play, the more fun you can have and the more people you will have as friends. Soak it all up, learn as much as you can, and you will not believe the fun you can have. I once performed in concert with a 200-member university marching band. We did Duelling Banjos; I played the banjo part, and the band did the responses. I remember when I thought that my public-school music classes were awful, because the music we sang seemed so dippy, but eventually I was thankful that I had that instruction. Just stick with it, and wait for the great surprises.

(very old)Bill in Alabama